Pikeville officials share views on town's future

Current and newly elected Town of Pikeville government officials met Thursday to discuss current and upcoming issues.

In an effort to have a smooth transition at the next board meeting, current commissioners Lymon Gallo-way, Edith McClenny, Vance Gree-son, Dennis Lewis and Todd Ander-son, along with Mayor Herb Sieger, met with Ward Kellum and Johnny Weaver. Kellum will replace McClenny as commissioner and Weaver will replace Sieger as mayor.

"The reason we're having this meeting tonight is because we have a new commissioner who's never been a commissioner and a new mayor," Galloway said.

Galloway discussed issues he would like the town to pay attention to in the future including waste water tank maintenance and interest rates on town investments.

Ms. McClenny said she would like the board to look at putting in lights at the park, but added that the town would need more tax dollars before improvements could be made.

"The main thing we have to look at is we're not going to be able to do squat until we have more people coming into Pikeville and help us supply money," she said.

Greeson said he would like the town to do a smoke test to find any problems in the sewer system and get them repaired in "a timely manner." Greeson also raised question at commissioner assignments and suggested they be combined or even "deleted."

"We need to make decisions as a group not individuals. I'd like to see more unity in that general area," he said. "If we can work closer together with it, than that's what I'm for."

Lewis said that he didn't want electricity costs to increase and said the board should look for ways to avoid increases in the future.

Anderson declined comment at the meeting.

Sieger said the focus of the board should be geared toward bringing more money, people and businesses into Pikeville.